The Great Northwest--public meeting in Virginia.
A meeting was held by the people of
Albemarle county.
Va, on the 2d inst., to express their sentiments upon the recent political manifestations in the
Northwestern portion of the
United States.--Hon
Shelton F. Leake presided.
A preamble and resolutions were reported and adopted by the meeting.
The preamble sets forth that, after a long and bloody war, in which a half million men have perished, and several thousand millions of property destroyed, the splendid achievements of the
Confederate arms render our final success no longer doubtful, and therefore leave no room for any misconstruction of language favorable to peace.
The following resolutions are therefore adopted:
Resolved, That whilst we are unalterably devoted to the cause of Southern independence, believing that in its successful vindication is involved all that is held dear by a brave and high spirited people, and towards which we pledge our last man and our last dollar; and whilst we entertain an abiding confidence in the resources of our country, the skill of our
General's, the valor of our soldiers, and the good providence of God, ultimately to secure to us that liberty and independence, however protracted may be the struggle, yet, that we should hail with satisfaction the early restoration of amicable relations between the two countries, and should regard the accomplishment of such an end as the proudest achievement of arms or of statesmanship.
2d.
That statesmanship in the
Cabinet may legitimately co-operate with military genius in the field; and if opportunity offer, that diplomacy should lend its aid to the sword to prevent any unnecessary prolongation of a force and destructive war; and that it is not incompatible with the dignity of the
Government or the honor of these States to adopt such a policy as may divide and weaken our enemies, and thereby confound their wicked designs.
3d.
That we have witnessed with ratification the earnest disposition of the people of the States bordering on the
Mississippi and
Ohio rivers to secede from the abolitionized and fanatical States of the North and East; and that, while we should prefer that the members of this Confederacy should be characterized by similar institutions, yet, upon the adoption by them of the
Confederate Constitution, we should not be unwilling to form a league with such Northwestern States--thereby to command an early and lasting peace — to constitute this Confederacy the preponderating power on this continent — to secure to us the slaveholding States of
Maryland,
Delaware,
Kentucky, and
Missouri--to give us supreme control over the great inland seas of the
Mississippi and the
Chesapeake — to acquire possession of the extensive
Western Territories —— and to promote the exchange of our Southern staples for the grain and cattle of the
West.
4th.
That we cannot understand, much less approve, the course of a certain portion of the
Southern place in discussing this question, and while we loudly applaud the heroic efforts which have been made by our gallant soldiers in scourging the bilgrance from our soil, we do in it a sacred duty, so far as consistent with our honor as a people, to husband and to cherish those precious lives and limbs already put in jeopardy on so many bloody fields.
6th.
That a copy of these proceedings be forwarded to our Representatives in Congress and the General Assembly, and also for publication in the Richmond papers.
